Dicks put the boot in after Grays goalless draw

Anyone bringing up the subject of women referees with the Terminator might find themselves cut dead!

Grays boss Julian Dicks made his feelings clear after Amy Fearn took control of the New Rec side’s 0-0 home game with Hayes and Yeading on Saturday.

The hosts, rock bottom and seemingly doomed to the drop, looked to be denied a clear 88th minute penalty when Richard Graham was tripped in the box.

And Dicks was condemning of the female official’s handling of the game.

“Everything took so long, free-kicks; throw-ins; it seemed everything took ages. I don’t agree with it. I don’t think women should referee men’s football — that’s my opinion,” Dicks declared.

Ex-West Ham and England defender Dicks’s opposite number Garry Haylock was equally unhappy — although his quibble was more on the lines of competence rather than the sex of the official.

He said: “The referee was truly the worst one we have had this season. I thought she spoiled the game for both teams. It’s nothing to do with whether she’s male or female — she just wasn’t good
enough for this level.”

Hayes spurned an opportunity to take the lead when Ram Marwa failed to beat Grays’ goalkeeper Glyn Gardner from close range. Grays’ ex-Southend United striker Wayne Gray could have ended his side’s
10 match run without a win in the second-half, but failed to beat Clark Masters in the visiting goal.

Hard-running home striker Jamie Guy was just off target when he turned an Alex Rhodes low cross just wide and was then thwarted at full stretch by Masters.

Despite his misery at the refereeing display, Dicks was full of praise for his side. He still has not given up hope of an unlikely great escape, despite being 14 points from safety with 12 games to
go, and defiantly insisted: “We’re not looking at going down — there’s still plenty of points to play for.”

Grays, watched by a crowd of just 308 here, continue the latest round of their seemingly mission impossible at Eastbourne Borough next Saturday.